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Posted: |
Aug 18, 2019 - 6:25 PM
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By: |
Last Child
(Member)
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I wouldn't call this hidden, as it played on TV alot when I was growing up, and is shown at festivals, museums, etc. The message is clear to children and adults alike (it has to be since there's no dialog), and one appreciates the artwork and music thru repeated viewings. Possibly what makes it unique is that it gets both funnier and darker as one gets older. What seems like a simple, absurd one-joke story of greed and ambition being thwarted, speaks (or sings) to the viewer about their own failed desires. It's a core truth about life that makes it more identifiable as time passes. It obviously helps that except for the premise, the world depicted is real rather than some silly cartoon background, so the story is more akin to "Nightmare Alley."
It's one of many Warner's Grim Fairy Tales which probably imparts a twisted sense of humor in every generation. 
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Posted: |
Aug 19, 2019 - 12:01 PM
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By: |
jackfu
(Member)
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Thanks, Arthur!
It’s an old favorite of mine, I grew up watching it and it never fails to make me laugh.
It’s a great example of how cartoons can work on multiple levels – quite common among cartoons of its day, especially those that were shown in theaters, just before the movie that was the main attraction.
As kids, we would imitate the frog’s expression, croak and singing and would often look for an excuse to use some of his antics to get a laugh, especially if it could be done at the expense of our folks or other adults. Personally, I would have jumped at the chance to have had an adult overhear me singing and rightly impressed say, “Jack that was great! Here, sing that again for (whomever)!”, at which point I would simple stare frog-eyed and say “Broaaaaccckkk.” Sadly, that opportunity never materialized – likely because no one wanted to hear me sing.
Anyway, this cartoon can be appreciated for the subtexts in it. After all, who is exploiting whom? Michigan J. (Bull)Frog, by causing the demise of his “owner” winds up being put away into a new cornerstone, instead of capitalizing on an opportunity for wealth and fame none of his fellow amphibians could ever have hoped to attain. Could he have been testing his finders? One hundred years later, if the building disintegrator guy was to take the frog home and simply enjoy his talents, or even display him for honorable purposes would MJB then been content to live out the rest of his days with him?
As far as those cartoons went, many of them did seem to attempt to offer educational content, exposing kids to classical music, etc.
P.S. A funny ending might have been showing the destitute finder nibbling on fried frog's legs. (Hat tip to Mad Magazine, of course!)
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